Page:Alcoran of Mahomet 1649.djvu/443

 then we, therefore doubtles except we repent we hall take likewie perih; the remines of Heraclius Government, his falling into the hereie of the Monothelites, the contempt of the Gopel, the flighting of the Pators, the wickednes of the people, the continual Schims, rents, jars, and diviions of their Churches, were both the caues and occaions of thee mieries which have faln upon them; let us take heed then we be not partakers of their ins, leat we alo partake of their plagues.

10. The reading of the Alcoran will enable us to beat Mahomet with his own weapons, to cut off the head of this Goliah ''with his own word, and to wound this unclean bird with quils pickt out of his own wings, for even unwittingly and unwillingly he is forced to acknowledg many truths of Chritian Religion, in affirming there is but one true God the Creator of all things, and though he goeth about to overthrow the doctrine of the Trinity, yet he doth plainly confirme it; when he peaks of God, of the Word and of the Spirit, which three indeed are one in eence, though ditinct in ubitence; though he laboureth to overthrow the Gopel yet he confirms it, when he calls it good, full, right, a light, and a guide to alvation, for if it be full, good, &c. what need was then of his'' Alcoran? and though he indeavoreth to overthrow Chrits Divinity with Arius and Netorius, and the Jews his ghotly fathers, yet he affirms it, in calling Chrit the Word; for as the internal word of the minde is coeternal with the minde, o is Chrit the Word of his Father, coeternal with the Father; he etabliheth alo the Article of Chrits Conception and Nativity, affirming him to be conceiving by the holy Ghot, and born of the Virgin Mary, whom he confeeth to have been a pure Virgin, both before and after Chrits birth: o he confirms the Article of Chrits acention into heaven, and divers other points of Chritianity, to whom we are more beholding for his reverend eteem of Chrit, then the Jews who revile and blapheme him.

11. In reading the Alcoran, though we finde much dung, yet in it we hall meet with ome gold, as Virgil did in reading of Ennius his Veres. Æops Cock found a precious tone in a dunghill; where is much dros ome pure mettal will be found: even in the dirt of the Alcoran you hall finde ome jewels of Chritian vertues